33 Universities related to Aerospace Engineering found in United States

The humans weren’t always the huge, spread-out population they are now. At a point in time, humans consisted of small numbers living in close quarters. As time passed and tier race expanded, humans sought to inhabit unexplored lands and with this move, arose the issues of communication and transportation. The wheel, the vehicle, the telephone – all came about owing to these two issues. As the world grew further, and the seas became frequent scenes of man’s conquests, human beings sought to conquer the sky. The Wright Brothers initiated what would go on to become one of mankind’s most profound achievements – its capability to fly.

Once our species had traveled around the world enough times, the curiosity that defines it and distinguishes it from other species took over. The water was still being used, the sky now became a habitual domain and so, now, mankind sought to broaden its horizons. It was clear to them that there lay a world beyond the sky and as humans learned more about the stars and planets, space seemed the obvious go-to destination.

Flight, whether it is conducted in our own stratosphere or in the world of comets, planets, and stars, needs a constant dosage of research and upgrades. Any person who goes against the pull of gravity must be equipped enough to deal with the circumstances the act might throw at them. Rapid changes and fluctuations in pressure and temperature are just two of the multitudes of issues that a carrier faces in flight. This requires both preparation of the vehicle they are traveling in and complete the development and maintenance of the tools that might come into use on the flight. This is where the branch of aerospace engineering comes in. as the name suggests, aerospace engineering is the branch of engineering concerned with the design, invention, upgrade, development, and maintenance of aircraft and spacecraft. A myriad of engineering principles and methods go into the aforementioned activities like propulsion, avionics, materials science, aerodynamics, manufacturing, and structural analysis. Aerospace engineering can be broadly defined as an interaction between these disciplines.

Course structure and Curriculum

The original term for the branch was aeronautical engineering, i.e., related only to aircraft. This made sense as humankind was still new to the concept of flight and to be able to traverse the skies seemed enough of a novel concept. However, as time progressed, scientists came to agree that exploration of outer space is indeed possible and astronautical engineering came about, encompassing travel beyond the planet’s atmosphere. Thus, the term ‘aerospace engineering’ was coined to include both earthly and space travel. The branch also comprises avionics, dealing with the electronic perspective of aerospace engineering.

Most technological institutes across the world offer education in aerospace engineering. On a broader scale, education in the field requires proficiency in mathematics, physics, chemistry and computer sciences. However, on a focused note, the subject comprises of multiple topics, a few of which have been listed below:

1. Fluid-mechanics: It comprises the study of fluids such as fuel through the various components of the carrier.
2. Aircraft structures: This topic consists of the design of the physical components of the vehicle taking into consideration the circumstances will face.
3. Materials science: This is a study into the materials that combine to form the vehicle so as to analyze and test their reliability against different types of conditions that the carrier will face.
4. Aeroacoustics: This field encompasses the study of noise generation owing to the functioning of the vehicle.
5. Software: This topic comprises of the design, analysis, testing, and execution of the computer software programs required for a flight.
6. Statics and Dynamics: This area consists of the study of movement and force in the mechanical systems of aircraft carriers.
7. Electrotechnology: This topic is the study of electronics from the perspective of engineering methods, activities, and principles.
8. Propulsion: This field studies the mechanisms that go into moving a vehicle through the air. It studies not only the machinery required but also their intricate working. In addition to this, it studies the various methods and procedures that are involved in the process.
9. Avionics: This subject ranges around the development and testing of computer systems that function on board a craft.
10. Risk and reliability: This field comprises of the assessment of the risks a flight carrier is touted to face and their quantitative elements.

In addition to these, there are a myriad more of subjects taught in the department like aeroelasticity, solid mechanics, noise control and radar-cross section. Since the department of aerospace engineering offers such a vast range of subjects, specializations are often offered in degrees. This ensures that every team of aerospace engineers can be further divided into more teams for specific tasks related to their fields of expertise and specialization. The degrees offered in the department (bachelor’s, master’s, advanced diploma and a Ph.D.) are usually offered in the branch of aerospace engineering while some universities might also offer degrees in certain subjects under the ambit of the mechanical engineering department.

Study Aerospace Engineering Abroad

As aerospace engineering is one of the most prominent and exciting departments in the field, students from all over the world choose to pursue an education in the department. Indian students are no different. Even though India has made considerable development in space travel in the past decade, educational opportunities in the field are scarce and far from their prime. Such is the case with most other countries in the field. Among all the countries offering education in aerospace engineering, USA is more or less the most popular choice among students. This is due to a variety of reasons. First and foremost, USA has made a lot of forays into space travel and exploration, including investigations and explorations untouched by any other country. Secondly, since the country was among the first to foray into space travel, leading to the establishment of a variety of aerospace engineering departments across the expanse of the nation. Thirdly, the USA holds a lot of employment prospects for aerospace engineers owing to its regular traverses into multitudes of experiments and concepts. It is important to note here that the USA is considered the superior student destination owing to its expertise in the field of space travel and exploration. Most countries in the world are adept at atmospheric flight and are efficient at aeronautical engineering and meting out education in the field. The top universities in the world offering education in the subject are:

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), United States of America
2. Stanford University, United States of America
3. California Institute of Technology (CalTech), United States of America
4. The University of Michigan- Ann Arbor, United States of America
5. Georgia Institute of Technology, United States of America
6. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, United States of America
7. Purdue University – West Lafayette, United States of America
8. Texas A&M University – College Station, United States of America
9. Princeton University, United States of America
10. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, United States of America

As observed clearly, all of the top-10 programs in the department are offered in American educational institutes. This clearly highlights the superiority of the nation in meting out educational services in the department. However, a lot of stipulations are taken into consideration when it comes to applying for studies abroad. Most universities follow a rigorous application process that is designed to select the absolute best students out of the multiple applications they receive. This process generally consists of entrance exams and entrance interviews (on the campus area or digitally). A few colleges require students to submit Statements of Purpose (SoPs) and Letters of recommendations (LoRs). The purpose of these activities is to determine the interest and caliber a student possesses for the subject at hand. Hardly any institute offering aerospace engineering programs offers a seat in the course purely on the basis of just 12th class marks.

Fee Structure

Education in this field is expensive, with an average program in the USA coming to around 30 lakh rupees annually. In addition to this, living costs, accommodation, stationery, and other such miscellaneous expenses touch a figure of almost 6-7 lakh rupees annually. A few universities across the world ask applicants to submit financial records of their families or guardians over the previous year so as to ensure they are financially capable of paying the educational fee and other expenses for the first year. However, a multitude of universities, especially in the US, accept applications from students irrespective of their financial standing. These educational institutions offer scholarships and other types of financial aids to their students. Many universities also offer their students the opportunities to take up internships or part-time jobs so as to be able to handle their expenses.

Job Opportunities

The employability of an aerospace engineer is set to rise further in the coming years, with the job sector in the department expected to grow by 6%. Aerospace engineers usually find employment in the fields of manufacturing, academia, research, and development and with the government. Some of the job titles available in the field are:

1. Mechanical Engineer
2. Aircraft/Spacecraft designer
3. Aerospace Technician
4. Military Aerospace Engineer
5. Inspector and Compliance Officer

Therefore, the field of aerospace engineering is educationally prosperous and flourishing in the employment market as well. This is the reason why students from all across the world vie for this department.

USA stands out as the most popular destination to pursue abroad studies among the students all around the globe due to the presence of quality education with academic excellence and the opportunities for a bright future.

Best Universities in USA

. Some of the best known universities in the United States are-

1. Harvard University
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
3. Stanford University
4. University of California
5. Princeton University
6. Yale University
7. Carnegie Mellon University
8. University of Texas
9. Cornell University
10. John Hopkins University

Best Courses to Study in USA

Some of the best known undergraduate and postgraduate courses are:

1. Undergraduate courses in Computer Science, Engineering and Technology such as B.Tech and B.Sc course, B.Com in Commerce and Finance, Mathematics,etc.
2. Postgraduate courses such as MS, MSc, MBA, E-MBA, PhD, etc  are the most sought after in the United States.

Scholarships in USA

If you wish to obtain a scholarship for studying in USA, then these are some options to consider.

• Avvo Scholarship Program
• Fulbright Foreign Student Program
• Berkeley College International Student Scholarships
• Cappex American Scholarships
• Global Scholarships for International Students
• Federal Student Aid Types
• Organization of American States – The Leo S. Rowe Pan American Fund

With the US economy growing steadily each year, there is no shortage of job opportunities in the country and studying there assures a bright future for all international students.